Argentina advances to World Cup semifinals after beating Switzerland, will face England

Argentina secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Switzerland in extra time. The Albiceleste will now face England in the next round after the Three Lions edged out Norway 2-1, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice.

The match against Switzerland was a tense affair, with Argentina taking an early lead through Alexis Mac Allister's header in the 10th minute. However, Switzerland equalized in the 67th minute with a goal from Dan Ndoye. The game took a dramatic turn when Swiss forward Breel Embolo received a second yellow card in the 72nd minute, reducing his team to ten men.

Despite the man advantage, Argentina struggled to break down the Swiss defense in regular time. The deadlock was finally broken in the 112th minute when Julián Álvarez scored a spectacular goal from outside the box. Lautaro Martínez added a fourth goal in stoppage time to seal the victory.

This marks Argentina's third World Cup semifinal appearance in the Lionel Messi era. The team's journey in the tournament has been characterized by close matches and dramatic finishes. Argentina's semifinal clash with England is scheduled for Wednesday at 4 p.m. Argentine time at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA.